Darrell Luter Jr., CB South Alabama: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Luter was a three-star JUCO transfer from Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., in the class of 2020

The 2023 NFL Draft features the deepest crop of cornerbacks I’ve seen in my lifetime. That’s largely due to the many viable Day 3 options, including South Alabama’s Darrell Luter Jr. The All-Sun Belt selection should attract looks once teams get outside the top 100.

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Darrell Luter Jr., CB South Alabama: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Fifth year senior outside cornerback from Hattiesburg, Miss.

Background: Luter was a three-star JUCO transfer from Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss., in the class of 2020. He previously attended Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, Miss. where he was a three-star recruit (No. 2,225) in the class of 2018 for On3.com. Luter was a three-star JUCO recruit according to the 247Sports JUCO consensus board. He was an unranked two-star JUCO product for Rivals and an unranked recruit for ESPN who received a 70 grade out of 100. While in high school, Luter lettered three years in football, two in basketball, and one in track and field. As a high school senior, he produced 37 tackles, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Luter earned Second-Team All-Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges honors as a sophomore at Pearl River Community College. That season, he amassed 19 tackles, eight passes defensed, and an interception. As a freshman at Pearl River Community College, he recorded eight tackles, six passes defensed, and two interceptions. Luter was born on April 24, 2000.

2022 Production: 13 games, 42 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1interception, 7 passes defensed

2021 Production: 10 games, 21 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 10 passes defensed

2020 Production: 11 games, 28 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defensed

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games in 2021

Awards: 2021 First-Team All-Sun Belt, 2022 Third-Team All-Sun Belt

Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, avoids committing penalties, ideal arm length, good feel for the receiver’s positioning in zone coverage, very effective at getting in-phase and sticking with inside releases when lined up on the line of scrimmage, compresses outside releases along the sideline, gears down quickly to change directions at the top of routes, quick reaction time allows him to stick with receivers, closes distance and contests at the catch point, competitive at the catch point, wrap-up tackler who rarely misses tackles, willing to be aggressive and make tackles on outside runs or short throws

Cons: A little high-hipped and long-legged, some hip tightness, doesn’t appear to have high-end speed, lacks recovery speed, stressed vertically by burners, footwork, footwork limits short-area agility and twitch, feet sometimes get too far outside of his frame leading to unbalanced or delayed movement, feet can click together at times which limits his movement, pad level rises quickly after the snap, doesn’t look comfortable sitting low in his backpedal, could be more assertive in press, punch placement and firmness in press, occasionally shook by outside-in releases, limited size to contest blockers with, not a powerful tackler and relies a lot of gradually dragging down players

Overview: Luter took official measurements at the Senior Bowl. He’s 5115 and weighs 191 lbs. He has 10 1/4-inch hands, 32 1/2-inch arms, and a 77 7/8-inch wingspan. Luter has extensive special teams experience with snaps split between the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. He made multiple special teams tackles in his first season with the Jaguars, which suggests he could have an early pathway to seeing NFL action. Luter gained experience playing on the boundary and field sides of the defense as an outside cornerback at South Alabama. He has long arms and a good feel for the receiver’s positioning in zone coverage. However, Luter is at his best when allowed to get in-phase with the wide receiver near the line of scrimmage. In these instances, he compresses outside releases along the sideline and sticks with inside releases. Luter gears down quickly to change directions at the top of routes, which allows him to remain attached to receivers at the hip and contest comeback routes. The JUCO product has a quick reaction time that helps him close distances and contest at the catch point. He is a wrap-up tackler who competes to bring down ball carriers on short passes and outside runs. However, the Mississippi native isn’t a powerful tackler and frequently relies on gradually dragging down ball carriers. He also lacks the mass to challenge blockers consistently. Luter is high-hipped and long-legged, which leads to some tightness in his hips and a few awkward transitions. He looks uncomfortable sitting low in his backpedal and lets his pad level rise quickly after the snap. Luter doesn’t have the high-end speed or the recovery speed to handle burners. His footwork needs significant reworking. The All-Sun Belt selection’s footwork limits his short-area agility and twitch. His feet sometimes get too far outside his frame, leading to unbalanced or delayed movements. He’ll also click his feet together at times, which disrupts his base and reaction time. Luter needs to be more assertive in press coverage. His punch placement and firmness need work. Luter doesn’t lose at the line often, but he’ll sometimes surrender significant separation to receivers who fake outside before bouncing back inside early in their releases.

Overall, Luter has the athletic profile of a zone defender but the arm length and early-play mirror skills of a press corner. He should go to a defense that mixes zone and press coverages. Luter will contribute on special teams as a rookie, but his upside as a high-snap defender won’t kick in until at least his second season.  

Role & Scheme Fit: Boundary corner in a zone-heavy scheme with press opportunities

Round Projection: Early Fifth to Late Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 03-02-23